As we discussed in our last post, parents play a major role in their children’s choices about alcohol. According to three years of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 34% of youth aged 12-14 who drank alcohol in the past month got the alcohol they drank for free from a person under 21-years-old or from an unrelated adult. These social sources of alcohol make up the second most frequent source of alcohol for underage youth.
So, how can parents prevent their teens from getting alcohol from peers or other adults? Although parents tend to become less involved with their children in the teen years, research shows that teens whose parents stay involved in their lives and activities, even when they are older, are much less likely to use alcohol.
Parents can prevent their teens from getting alcohol by:
- Talking to teens frequently about the dangers of underage drinking;
- Asking teens where they are going and who they will be with;
- Checking that teens are where they say they will be; and
- Staying in touch by spending time together.
Parent involvement makes a big difference. To learn more about reducing underage alcohol use, visit MaineParents.net, PortlandPreventionTips.org or Time to Talk (for non-Mainers).
Information provided by MAPSA, in recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month.
